Humanized Antibody to Human Interleukin-6 Receptor Inhibits the Development of Collagen Arthritis in Cynomolgus Monkeys

Tocilizumab, a Humanized Anti-interleukin-6 Receptor Antibody, Ameliorates Joint Swelling in Established Monkey Collagen-Induced Arthritis

“…5) Briefly, bovine type II collagen (4 mg/ml, Collagen Research Center, Tokyo, Japan) was emulsified in an equal volume of Freund's complete adjuvant (Becton Dickinson, Grayson, GA, U.S.A.). Prepared emulsion was maintained on ice until use.…”

“…5) Standard monkey antitocilizumab antibody was purified from sera of tocilizumabtreated cynomolgus monkey.…”

“…For instance, we reported that the administration of anti-mouse IL-6R antibody starting from the first collagen immunization (before the onset of arthritis) apparently inhibited the development of arthritis in monkey or mouse collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). 5,6) Moreover, IL-6-deficiency could inhibit the appearance of arthritis in many arthritis models. [7][8][9][10][11] In these experiments, however, IL-6 was inhibited before the onset of arthritis, and the suppressive mechanism was indicated to be due to the suppression of T cell activation.…”

“…5) There are differences between rodent and monkey CIA regarding the onset site and the duration time of arthritis. Namely, joint swellings in monkey CIA are preferentially in proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joints of hands and feet, and they last more than one month like a human RA.…”

Targeting the interleukin‐6 receptor: A new treatment for systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis?

“…This antibody was obtained by grafting the complementarity-determining regions of a murine antihuman IL-6R into a human IgG1 (68). This antibody, named MRA, binds with high affinity to both the membrane-bound and soluble forms of IL-6R and can inhibit IL-6 effects in vitro and in experimental animal models (69,70). MRA has recently been used in patients with Castleman's disease, RA, or Crohn's disease, with initially promising results (71-74).…”